


Count the Stars

by HootHalycon



Series: Ruthari Week 2020 [1]
Category: The Dragon Prince (Cartoon)
Genre: Archery, Care of Magical Creatures, Cuddling & Snuggling, Day At The Beach, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M, Pets, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-06
Updated: 2020-01-06
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:47:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22148917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HootHalycon/pseuds/HootHalycon
Summary: The distant sound of waves crashing against the shore soon became present as the greenery of the forest faded into white sands. The breeze, previously muted by the towering trees, now billowed peacefully through the two elf’s hair as they gazed at the wide expanse of water.---fulfilling the moonlight prompt for ruthari week 2020!
Relationships: Ethari/Runaan (The Dragon Prince)
Series: Ruthari Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594201
Kudos: 32





	Count the Stars

**Author's Note:**

> hi!! i'm gonna try and do each of the ruthari week prompts! hope u enjoy!

The golden rays of the last hour of daylight reflected through the trees, causing stunning beams of light to form. The vibrant greenery of the lush forest located in the outskirts of the Silvergrove created a feeling of seclusion and intimacy that was most favourable. Medium length picturesque grass freshly dappled with the afternoon’s rain stretched for miles; creating a haven of nature and beauty for all those who observed. The calls of Xadian birds sang in harmony with the soft swishing of paws from the Shadowpaw and Moonstrider as they navigated the familiar setting. The quiet ambience was only further disturbed by the gentle conversation between two men as they sat atop their mounts, talking aimlessly as they enjoyed the opportunity to be alone together. With their busy lives, they always found themselves grateful for the instances of closeness and togetherness they were granted. Fondness and a familiar warmth was evident in their features; even simple activities such as this made them feel fulfilled. 

“I think she knows where we’re going.” Ethari stated, noticing her excited march, in place of her usual relaxed amble. 

Runaan looked at him questioningly. “Could she remember? We’ve only been there once before. Surely she’s forgotten.” 

The shorter elf chuckled. “I have a feeling that Luna vaguely remembers most things, especially positive ones. At the very least, she knows we’re going on an adventure.” he reasoned, scratching the animal’s starry fur. 

The assassin smiled thoughtfully. He hadn’t thought of that with his own animal, Strider. His husband always had a unique way of looking at the world; one that remained refreshing and thoughtful, every insight a pleasant surprise. 

The distant sound of waves crashing against the shore soon became present as the greenery of the forest faded into white sands. The breeze, previously muted by the towering trees, now billowed peacefully through the two elf’s hair as they gazed at the wide expanse of water. Smiling, they encouraged their mounts forward, dirt turning into thin sand. 

Upon making contact with the new footing, the Moonstrider began to dance excitably, pacing and raising her knees as if she were being coached through a high energy dance. Runaan looked at her, befuddled, wondering if perhaps the sand was still hot from the few hours of sunlight the day had seen. Quickly dismounting, he pressed his hand against the sand, only to discover it was at a normal temperature.

“What is it, darling?” he asked, rising to face his Strider. The animal looked at him eagerly, eyes wide with excitement. The realization dawned on him, causing him to smile at his companion. “Has the new footing gotten you excited?”

The strider bounded around again in response. Ethari’s shadowpaw, although unaffected by the loose sand, picked up on her friend’s elation, watching amusedly and even doing a play bow or two. Deciding to let the two bonded animals play, the craftsman dismounted from the creature, laughing to himself as he watched the two bolt across the large area of the empty beach. 

Striding over to his husband, Ethari intertwined his hand with his as he drew closer to his side. “And what is there to do as we’re all alone on this beautiful beach?”

Runaan smiled playfully. “You act as if our mounts aren’t mere feet away.”

“Oh they don’t mind.” 

“Strider wouldn’t be having this forgetfulness, if she knew…”

The craftsman only shook his head, laughing, as he wrapped his arms around his husband’s neck, leaning in to press his cheek against his collarbone. He sighed wistfully, relaxing in the presence of his beloved.

“The waves sound beautiful.” he whispered. The taller elf returned the sentiment, moving his hands to link around the other’s sides, holding him close. He too closed his eyes for a moment, enjoying the tranquility the moment provided.

After a few peaceful moments, the assassin offered that the two of them sit, as he unfurled one of the picnic blankets the couple had brought. They brought an extra one in case the Moonstrider also wanted to lay down; she always refused to do so on muddy or sandy grounds if she didn’t have somewhere soft to sit. She would look at her owners indignantly, even resorting to whining desperately until they brought her the pillow or blanket she found appropriate. 

Ethari pressed himself into his husband’s side as they both laid down, wrapping an arm around his side and returning to his previous spot against the crook of his neck. The moonstrider and shadowpaw scampered across the sandy beach silently, the sounds of their panting and muted sounds of excitement letting the two elves know they were still there. Runaan turned to face the other elf, the indigo of the markings across his nose meeting Ethari’s forehead. He let his hand slip innocently under the loose top the moonshadow elf wore, gently rubbing his warm skin. His hands, gentle and amorous, roamed his skin thoughtfully, tracing aimless patterns as he did so. Ethari shifted impossibly closer, smiling softly as he angled his head to press a light kiss against the space underneath his husband’s eye, his heart warming as the other’s eyes fluttered shut at the contact. 

“You’re soft, my love.” he murmured as the other’s blue eyes opened to meet his. Runaan was about to reply, when suddenly Luna bounded over to the couple before bowing playfully, tail wagging in the early evening air. Making up for it, he pressed a quick kiss to the side of Ethari’s face before they both sat up.

“Want to play, honey?” Ethari teased. Spotting the moonstrider following closely behind, the shadowpaw ran in a circle excitedly, confirming her desire for entertainment. The craftsman waited until her friend joined her. “Ok, let’s go look for some sticks!”

He led the two moon creatures as they scoured the beach for long sticks to use for a game of fetch. Runaan helped too, going back into the forest they had used to find the getaway. He came back minutes later holding two long sticks almost as tall as he was. The shadowpaw and moonstrider caught sight of his findings and ran over to him excitedly.

"Hold on." he told them, pausing his throw to walk back over to the blanket he and Ethari had previously occupied. Beside the blanket was his bowblade, which would soon prove to hold more uses than he and its crafter had previously believed.

He grabbed his beloved weapon and tried his best to properly load one of the sticks into the large bow, aiming for a sandy mound miles away from them.

Ethari's laughter could be heard as he observed this bizarre occurrence. "And here I thought you brought that to protect me." he teased.

"Anything for my baby." Runaan affirmed, nodding to his Strider to chase the soon to be airborne stick. The animal quickly caught on, pacing excitedly in peace as she waited. 

Soon enough, the assassin let go of his hold, causing the stick to cut through the air in an impressive maneuver, finally landing where it could only be seen as a small, distant figure. The moonstrider bolted after it, her long body folding in on itself before her stride extended, legs stretching as far as she could. The beauty and power of his mount never failed to impress and surprise the moonshadow elf. The radiance of her sparkly blue feathers and spots was only the beginning of her many beautiful features; her secretive, special way of choosing who she revealed her true personality to gave way to show her loving, intelligent nature. The strider’s awe inspiring athletic nature only came after forming a truthful bond with her new owner. Her swift maneuvers and incredible speed were a symbol of her devotion and loyalty, showing that she would always go the distance for those she loved. 

As the strider chased after her bait, the shadowpaw turned back to the archer expectantly. He did the same for her with a similarly long stick; shooting it somewhere closer this time, as the larger animal’s strengths didn’t lie as strongly in agility as the other’s did. She chased the stick appreciatively, bringing it back quickly. After a few rounds of fetch, the two animals grew tired, nuzzling into the tall elf to show their gratitude. The moon rose higher over the horizon, its light causing the starry flecks of blue and white on the mounts’ fur to shine impressively. 

The two elves wordlessly climbed onto their animal’s backs, guiding them towards the shoreline, where the water lapped calmly against the surface, a contrast to its previously energetic descent. The animals sighed as they felt their paws meet the cool, welcoming hands of the thin ocean water. Water was never scary or fearful to them; as the moon controlled the tides, the two moon creatures felt protected and understood by the gaze of the waves. 

The hands of their riders soon found each other, as they rode close enough so their knees were almost touching. The quiet of the night and comforting presence of the moon was the perfect complement to the simple, yet fulfilling time they had together. Though they could laugh at the stereotypically romantic way of their date, they only found themselves content and as besotted with each other as they always were. 

“The moon shines brightest in amiable company” Ethari whispered, gazing deep into his lover’s eyes.

Runaan softened, heart aflutter with affection and desire. “Luminous smiles grow widest when met by the warmest embraces.” 

Ethari squeezed his hand before leaning over to press a small kiss to his cheek. “I shall always draw near.” he whispered against the white hair now nestled against his shoulder.

**Author's Note:**

> sorry if the ending was abrupt! i think it's ok but maybe later i'll realize it isn't...but I hope u enjoyed the fic!
> 
> you can find me on twitter @ hesbianamaya if you'd like :)


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